Events

Music of Note

Opportunities to create and enjoy music abound at Hamline. Just walk by the practice rooms in Drew Fine Arts Center and you’ll hear notes from any number of instruments and voices mingling in the hall. During the academic year there are multiple concerts and solo performances nearly every week in one of the on-campus venues.

“Sundin Music Hall has encouraged a very lively music-making scene,” professor and Music Department Chair Rees Allison said. “Almost any instrument that a student is interested in we can accommodate.”

In addition to the opportunities for solo instruction and recitals, ensembles offer the chance to connect with other music lovers and perform for audiences locally and even internationally. The Hamline A Cappella Choir has toured nationally as well as in Europe and South America. Semester long classes and January term study abroad courses also give students the chance to examine the academic side of music.

“In the "Music in Central Europe" class we spent about three weeks traveling to places like Vienna, Prague, Leipzig, and Berlin,” music major Haley Rheinhart said. “The trip centered around music history so we attended amazing events like operas and explored a lot of the places where great composers lived and worked.”

Rheinhart plays the violin and is a member of the Hamline Orchestra. Other established ensembles include: Hamline Winds, Women’s Choir, and Jazz Ensemble. In addition, students can form their own small music groups. Rheinhart did just that last semester when she and some other students began their own chamber group. Students don’t have to pursue a music major or minor to take private lessons or participate ensembles. Likewise, music students have the time and ability to explore other interests.

“The nice thing about Hamline is that you can be very involved in music, but also participate in activities or student organizations you are interested in outside of the department,” Rheinhart said. “There are a lot of chances to find new interests and be involved in all the things you enjoy.”

Hear more about music at Hamline from Rheinhart and Allison in the video below and check out the department’s web page for details about all it offers.